The Perfect Gift
by Onhiro
Summary: Barbara's eighteenth birthday is rapidly approaching, and Hannah just HAS to get her something perfect. The problem is, she has no idea what that perfect thing would be. But there is one thing that she knows that Barbara truly loves: Nightfall. She was going to need help for this one, wasn't she? Set in the Bats and Brooms: Luna Nova Fast Pitch Witches universe


**AN: ****Barbara's eighteenth birthday is rapidly approaching, and Hannah just HAS to get her something perfect. The problem is, she has no idea what that perfect thing would be. But there is one thing that she knows that Barbara truly loves: Nightfall. She was going to need help for this one, wasn't she?**

**A gift one-shot set in superevilbadguy's Bats and Brooms: The Luna Nova Fast Pitch Witches universe. Hope you like it!**

The Perfect Gift

Hannah was scowling as she lay in bed, tossing a softball up in the air towards her ceiling, the slap of ball leather against her palm the only sound in her room. She had a problem, and one that she wasn't entirely certain how to solve: Barbara's eighteenth birthday was coming up. They had been dating since they were sixteen, and she wanted to do something really, really special for her girlfriend, but she wasn't entirely certain just what to do. Jewelry was nice, sure, but was it really special enough? Not so far as Hannah was concerned. She could also get her something softball related, maybe new gear for the Varsity season (their _final_ season!) coming up in the spring, but that wasn't really _romantic_ and thus didn't feel like the best choice.

The softball again smacked against her palm, and her grimace deepened as she threw it back up into the air. There was one thing that she knew that Barbara absolutely adored, and it was fittingly filled with romantic themes: the _Nightfall_ series. In fact, it was almost perfect. Romantic, filled with intrigue and grand plots, stretching over nearly countless volumes and supported by a fanatic fan base, and Barbara was one of the most fervent of those fans. Something _Nightfall_ related would be perfect. Except for one very major problem:

Hannah knew nearly nothing about the series. She knew the main characters' names and that was about it, and the only reason she knew _that_ was because she had paid marginal attention to whenever Barbara raved about the book series. She had tried to get into it, she really, really did, but it just wasn't her cup of tea. Given Barbara's passion about it, she had no doubt that it really was a good series, but every time she tried to read it she just couldn't get past the first handful of chapters. And so, in order to do this properly, she needed help.

The softball smacked into her hand one last time, and she wrapped her fingers around it as her face grew determined. If she was going to do this, she needed to know about _Nightfall_, and if she wanted to know about _Nightfall_, there was only one choice: the only other person that Hannah knew who loved _Nightfall_ as much as Barbara did. Sitting up, she tossed her ball onto her bed. It was time to go visit Lotte.

xxxXXXxxx

Forty minutes later found her standing at the entrance of Lotte's house, hands jammed into the pockets of her jacket, head hunched down into the scarf around her neck. Late October wasn't exactly known to be warm for them, and this year was no exception. She blew out a small clouded breath as she waited for someone to answer the door. Then the sound of someone walking on the other side of the door had her perking up, sniffling slightly in the cold air as the doorknob rattled. Then the door swung open and she had to fight the urge to step back in surprise.

No matter how many times she met the man, she was still surprised at just how _big_ Mr. Jansson was. He peered down at her from around his pipe before his wide face split into a beaming grin. "Oh, little Hannah, so nice to have you come!" he said in that same heavily accented but undeniably welcoming and warm voice he always used with his daughter's friends, and Hannah couldn't help but grin back to him.

"Hullo, Mister Jansson. Is Lotte in?" she asked, and he nodded before stepping back and gesturing into the house. Grateful to be out of the nipping cold, she stepped into the warm home, sniffling slightly as he closed the door behind her and hooked his thumbs in the straps of his suspenders.

"Lotte!" he called, voice booming as he continued on in Finnish, and from up a set of stairs, Hannah heard Lotte's voice.

"Kyllä, Papa!" A moment later, the orange-haired girl appeared at the top of the stairs, and her eyebrows shot upwards in surprise when she noticed Hannah. "Oh, Hannah, what a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting you." Then she frowned thoughtfully. "Where's Barbara?"

Hannah almost, _almost_ rolled her eyes at that. It wasn't like she and her girlfriend were completely inseparable…right? "She didn't come with me, but I did need your help with something involving her."

"Please, make yourself at home, Hannah," Mr. Jansson said with another beaming smile. "I will make some tea and snacks for you." With a final brief exchange with Lotte in Finnish, he headed deeper into the first floor, and Lotte waved Hannah up the stairs. After taking a moment to put her scarf and jacket on the coat hooks next to the door, she began to jog up the stairs.

It wasn't very long before she was in Lotte's room, which was small and cozy, with _Nightfall _being the dominant theme, posters on the walls and figurines on shelves and a handmade bookcase dominating the far wall that was packed full with the many, many volumes of the book series. School work lay on top of a small desk, and through the open door of a closet Hannah could spot clothes and some softball gear. It was homey, she admitted to herself, very carefully not thinking about how just her own closet back home was probably half the size of Lotte's whole bedroom. But this was nice, a space obviously filled with warmth and love. It was undoubtedly a home.

"Sorry it's slightly untidy," Lotte murmured as she flustered about for a moment, cleaning up what little clutter there was before gesturing at the bed as she sat down in the chair at her desk. As Hannah sat down on the twin sized mattress, the Finnish girl tilted her head questioningly. "So, Barbara? What about her?"

Hannah fidgeted slightly. "Well, her eighteenth birthday is coming up, and I wanted to do something really, really special for her, and figured that something _Nightfall_ related would be best. If there's anyone who can help me with that, it's you."

Then, to her surprised worry, Lotte frowned with concern. "I actually don't know if I can, Hannah. Barbara has more stuff than I've got, I can't think of anything that you could really get her that-"

And just like that, she went silent, eyes growing wide. "Lotte?" Hannah asked, hesitantly. Then Lotte turned her expression on Hannah, and she recoiled slightly. She didn't even realize that someone's eyes could actually _sparkle_ like that! "Lotte, stop looking at me like that, you're scaring me."

"I have the perfect idea!" Lotte gushed, and for the first time Hannah realized that she may have made a mistake…

xxxXXXxxx

"Are you…_hn_…sure that she's going to like this?" Hannah grit between her teeth as she fought the urge to turn around and look at the other girl as she worked on getting Hannah dressed behind the curtains in the school auditorium. The last time Hannah had tried to turn around, Lotte had actually _yelled_ at her, to Hannah's absolute shock. She hadn't even known Lotte _could_ yell like that. Now the orange-haired girl was doing the final tightening of what appeared to be a rather old corset around Hannah's torso, only instead of enhancing her bust, it was hiding it. She already had a pair of tight and white old-timey trousers and calf high black riding boots that were polished to a sheen, and sitting on a changing mannequin was a military double-breasted tunic in a striking red with gold trim. "Where did you guys even get all of this stuff?" she grunted as Lotte gave a particularly firm tug.

"We're cosplayers, Hannah, you'd be amazed what we have. Also helps being in the costuming department of the theater group. And yes, I'm absolutely positive. There, I think that's good, how do you feel?"

"Like I can't breathe," Hannah grumbled as she twisted her torso experimentally. "Who am I again?"

"If you feel like you can't breathe but actually can, the corset is doing its job," Lotte murmured absently. "Here, put on the other stuff. And didn't you memorize the lines?"

She had. Lotte had explained the plan those two weeks ago. Apparently the Con that Lotte and Barbara were going to be going to was a much bigger deal than Hannah had realized, and Lotte, Barbara, and a third fan of the series from up towards Leeds were actually going to be doing a cosplay contest sketch. Unfortunately their friend couldn't make it, so they were now down a person. Enter Hannah, who actually bore a striking resemblance to the _Nightfall _character in question. "Yeah, I did, but Lady Elsbeth von Whatsit has a name as long as my forearm, and I still don't get how she's part of the series. Isn't it set in modern times?"

Lotte snorted. "No! Well, I mean, part of it, but only in parts when they time travel to the modern era, but it isn't set exclusively in the present. What gave you that idea?"

"Well, isn't _Nightfall_ like _Twili_-?"

Her words snapped to a halt as Lotte whirled and suddenly brandished a stage sword in Hannah's face, a deadly glint in her eyes. "_Never_," she hissed, "speak of that abomination in my or Barbara's presence, or I will _cut_ you!"

Hannah swallowed heavily, raising her hands placatingly. "Okay. Never again. I'm sorry."

Lotte stared at her with narrowed eyes for a long moment before lowering her sword. "So the Lady Elsbeth Dorothea Valentina Whitley, Baroness of Longford is famous for disguising her gender and joining the military during the Napoleonic era. When she was captured by the French, she met and fell in love with Rose Claire d'Aubert who was imprisoned on political charges. Belle and Edgar help them escape from the Bastille, and they then fled to Spain to help the British fight the Peninsular Campaign."

"Okay, that does actually sound badass," Hannah grudgingly admitted as she pulled on an old style white button up shirt. "And what books are they in?"

"Volumes 213 through 219, with cameos in Volumes 289, 317, and 354," Lotte immediately replied as she pulled the tunic off of the mannequin. "I really liked how Belle was able to relocate them through time so they could run the horse farm together in Australia in the 2030s."

Hannah blinked at that. Was there really any other response she could give? Just what kind of story was _Nightfall_? Finally, after a long, silent moment, she cleared her throat. "That's…interesting," she said as she accepted the tunic and pulled it on. After she did up the many buttons, she took a deep breath and held her arms out at her side. "So, how's it look?"

Lotte smiled and clapped her hands delightedly. "Oh, she's going to love it!"

xxxXXXxxx

Inasmuch as Barbara absolutely loved _Nightfall_ (and she really, _really_ loved _Nightfall_) she wasn't entirely certain that she was in the mood for another practice run with Lotte before she went home for the day. It had been a long day as was, and she was eager to get home, if only because she knew that Hannah was going to hang out at her house and spend the night (and very likely make out with her, nice and long, which she was very excited about) before her birthday party tomorrow. Though…it was weird. Hannah had wished her a happy birthday already today in her good morning and they had hanged out their usual amount leading up to last period, but she hadn't been answering the texts that Barbara had been sending her, which really wasn't like her auburn-haired girlfriend.

Her lips quirked thoughtfully to the side as she twirled a strand of her dark hair around her finger as she drew closer to the auditorium. She knew she had her part down cold, and she knew that Lotte had her part down cold, but without Claire being present, they just couldn't effectively act out the part. Ah, well, Lotte did have the tendency to by paranoid about these things. She would rehearse something over and over until she knew it was perfect. Knowing that about her friend, Barbara would humor her and then go home and hang out (read: make out) with Hannah immediately afterwards.

She entered the auditorium, immediately spotting the orange-haired girl where she was sitting on the edge of the stage, idly kicking her feet, heels thudding lightly against the side of the stage. Lotte visibly brightened up upon spotting her, and she quickly scrambled to her feet. She straightened, the set of her shoulders and how she carried herself changing as she slipped into her role. "Ah, the Lady d'Aubert! I'm so relieved that you were able to come on such short notice, but I knew not what to do!" she fretted, and Barbara barely paused in her stride before she slipped into her own role. Well, at least Lotte was getting right down to it.

"Oui, Mademoiselle Amelie," she replied, wearily, drawing fatigue around her like a cloak, affecting the French accent of the character, her voice speaking of a deep tiredness brought about by long weeks spent in the back country of Spain, trying to raise guerilla support against Napoleon's forces, to little avail. "I am here," she continued, stumbling a little, a hand going out to find the back of one of the auditorium's chairs for support. "What news from Britain?"

"Nothing good, m'lady," Lotte replied with a terribly worried frown, holding her hands to her chest, the picture of a worried retainer. "Yes, Wellington does well on his campaign, but there seems to be precious little support for those of us continuing the fight against the Emperor's forces! Oh, if we only had some assistance!"

Aaand they were quickly coming up to the end of what they could do without Chloe. But still, she'd go along with it. "Stay strong, Amelie, stay strong. We will make do, as we always have. No matter how difficult the going goes, we must continue! We must hold onto hope that one day that help will come…I just wish that day would come sooner rather than later!" Then she paused, and shook her head. "Lotte, we have that part down cold, but we need-"

"What's she that wishes so?" came the cry from off stage from a voice that she knew and loved, speaking words that she never expected to hear from her girlfriend, and Hannah came striding out from behind the drawn curtain, dressed in impeccable costume that just screamed Lotte's craftsmanship. She looked so proud and beautiful and powerful, the picture of the character she was portraying, and it was the fact that Hannah was undoubtedly doing this for _her_ had Barbara's hands flying up to her mouth as happy tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Oh my God, was _this_ why Hannah hadn't been answering her texts?

Hannah continued forward, boots almost booming against the stage's surface as she continued her part. "Did I not promise you, my beloved Rose, that I would return from England? That there was no force in Heaven or on Earth that could keep me from you? With the help of our friends Belle and Edgar, I have returned, so that we might defeat Napoleon's ambitions!" Then she noticed that Barbara was well and truly crying now, and a look of worry flitted across her face. "Babe?" she asked, and then she was running forward, boots clattering against the stairs as she quickly made her way to her. "Babe, you're crying are you okay?"

"_Yes_!" Barbara said, even as her heart swelled with tender emotion, wrapping Hannah up in a tight hug before pressing her lips against her girlfriend's, and Hannah made a surprised noise in the back of her throat before returning the kiss with the same passion that it had been started with. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and before they could get too carried away, there was a politely cleared throat, and they leapt apart, faces burning with embarrassment. And sure enough, there was Lotte, looking at them with an altogether too pleased grin.

"I take it you are pleased," she said, and Barbara laughed even as her blush deepened.

"What gave it away?" she asked before she stepped back so that she could well and truly admire Lotte's sewing job. The girl could work miracles with some thread and needle, and she had truly come through this time. Hannah was well and truly striking, and Barbara only felt a little bad as her mind went to a rather dirty place, the thought of undressing Hannah in her bedroom, pulling off the red jacket and peeling off the white breeches causing her mouth to salivate. Actually, it was probably a bad thing that Lotte pandered to her tastes this well. "But yes, this is really freaking awesome!" she exclaimed. "Much better than anything Chloe could pull off." Then she blinked. "Wait, does that mean that you're joining us at the Con?"

Hannah shot her a tentative grin. "Happy Birthday?" she asked, almost hesitatingly, and Barbara very nearly squealed as she hugged her girlfriend and began to jump up and down with excitement. Hannah wasn't a Con goer, so never in a million years would she expect this birthday present. In a word, it was perfect.

Grinning widely, she stopped bouncing up and down and stepped back, shooting Lotte and Hannah a very appreciative smile. "Thank you guys so very much! Hannah, you won't regret it, I promise! Oh my god, this is just so perfect, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Hannah was well and truly beaming now, looking like the cat that got the cream. "Glad I could make it special," she said, blushing slightly, and Barbara couldn't help but hug her again. This…this was more than she had ever expected. Today wasn't even over, and it was already perfect.

Of course…what she and Hannah did later that evening made it even better, but that? That is _definitely_ a story for a different time!

*_finis_*


End file.
